


kindergarten games

by raffinit



Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, Warcraft III, World of Warcraft
Genre: Alina is a babby, Alternate Universe - Crack, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, F/F, Gen, Single Parents, Useless Lesbians
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-29 02:09:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19820362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raffinit/pseuds/raffinit
Summary: Single moms in the area find love over hating on the same grumpy old man: more at 5Crackfic AU of Jaina and Sylvanas as single moms who meet and proceed to be a little bit gay





	kindergarten games

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Slackergami](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slackergami/gifts), [IceFairyChiruno](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IceFairyChiruno/gifts).



> FOR TRES AND DAWN
> 
> HAPPY 2ND ANNIVERSARY
> 
> PLS ACCEPT THIS BADLY-WRITTEN CRACK FIC ABOUT GAY MOMS AND LITTLE BABIES

“Why a new school?” Alina asked.

Jaina swallowed back a sigh and smiled down at her patiently. “Because it's a good school, and the embassy is closer by.” 

She looked up and pointed at something just over yonder, but as far as Alina was concerned, she could have been pointing at the sun.

“Don't want a new school,” the girl grumbled, staring hard at the pavement as she dragged her feet and kicked at scattered pebbles. 

Jaina gave her a sad little smile. She knew Alina missed her old school dearly; not just because the new year meant starting first grade. The merry little band of troublemakers she’d left behind had certainly left a hole in Alina’s life. But children were hardy things and Jaina knew it wouldn’t be too long before her daughter was off with her new merry band of troublemakers once more.

“It won’t be so bad,” she said soothingly, squeezing Alina’s hand. “You’ll make new friends, learn new things. Who knows? You might like your teacher better than Mr Marris.”

Alina’s old preschool teacher was someone they were both glad to be done with. It was a wonder how the man had ever gotten into teaching children.

Huffing, Alina peered up at her mother with a stony look. “I wanna stay with you at the embassy.”

Jaina gave her an apologetic smile. “You know why you can’t, darling. The embassy is no place for kids.” 

“I’m six now,” Alina insisted. “I’m taller and — I can stand with you and make sure no one is mean at you.”

The thought of having her daughter standing at her elbow and glowering at a table full of ambassadors made Jaina huff out a laugh. “Tell you what — you go to school and you learn how to do your alphabet and numbers, and I’ll make you my bodyguard.”

Alina puffed out her chest with pride. “Deal.”

Moving about was nothing new to them for the most part. They went from embassy to embassy for Jaina’s work; talking to people that Alina dubbed as untrustworthy Boring People who talked of treaties but never delivered treats. There were times when her work took them to new lands at short notice, and Alina didn’t quite mind all that much, but Jaina figured it was likely due to the fact that she hadn’t started school then.

At the very least, Alina seemed content with the fact that the new school didn’t have regulations about uniforms. The frilled collar and socks were too much even for Katherine.

“I don’t want to go to school for embassy brats,” she announced.

Jaina stopped walking abruptly, and it was by her grip on Alina’s hand that prevented the girl from stumbling to her knees. Peering down at her daughter calmly, she asked, “Where did you hear that word from?”

“Uncle Tandred,” Alina answered. 

Jaina sighed. “Of course.” She should have known. There was something to be said about Tandred; namely the fact that he was, by and large, the worst babysitter to ever leave her daughter with. She’d have to have a talk with the man the next time they were in Kul Tiras. Levelling Alina with a serious look, she said, “Don’t listen to your uncle when he says things like that, okay. And don’t repeat that in front of your friends.”

Alina nodded just as seriously and shouldered her backpack closer. “What’s a brat?”

She pressed her lips together, frowning slightly as she hastened their steps towards the school. “Not something we call other children, okay? And not something your Uncle Tandred should have said.” 

“Am I a brat?” Alina asked, tilting her head up curiously.

Blinking, Jaina tilted her head down in turn, smiling affectionately as she gave Alina’s ear a tweak. She laughed softly when the girl wrinkled her nose in annoyance, ear flicking slightly. “Only sometimes, but don’t tell Gran.” They paused at a crosswalk.

Jaina swung their joined hands idly as Alina rocked on her heels, her eyes glued to the red hand and orange numbers that she mouthed as it counted down. Alina was getting very good with numbers; preferred them to words. Though, she did appreciate a good bedtime story.

Giving her daughter’s hand a squeeze, she glanced about them, peering down the street. She blinked at the tall woman approaching them, holding the hand of a little girl the same. A faint tickle of recognition formed in the back of her mind; Jaina was very certain she’d seen the woman before, but couldn’t recall ever seeing the daughter.

Not one of Alina’s old classmates, then?

As the woman and child drew closer, Jaina could make out the shape of her garb. Something vaguely militaristic; padded at the shoulders and cinched to emphasise the broadness of her frame. Hair like molten silver with edges of gold and eyes just as fair.

From beside her, Alina glanced down the way curiously and then gasped in awe. “Windrunner!” she cried, pointing before Jaina could stop her. “Windrunner, Mama! That’s Ranger-General Windrunner!”

“Don’t shout,” Jaina chided her, but it was too late. The woman’s long ear flicked at the sound and looked up at them, silver eyes meeting Jaina’s blue ones and holding. 

“Oh,” she breathed, turning to face them. “So it is.”

\-------

The Ranger-General of Silvermoon was markedly taller than Jaina remembered her to be. As broad in the shoulders still, certainly, but somehow less severe when holding a little girl by the hand and a bright pink bag in the other. They ran in the same circles at times, at the embassy; from a peripheral standpoint, at least. Quel’Thalas and Kul Tiras were of similar minds when it came to their nature conservation and sustainable lumber protocols, among other things.

She didn’t quite remember ever having talked to Ranger-General face-to-face.

The recognition, however, seemed to be mutual. The Ranger-General blinked as they paused by the crosswalk the same, inclining her head politely. “Lord Admiral Proudmoore. What a coincidence.”

“Y-es,” Jaina said, glancing down at the little girl at her side. The same hair and face, but the girl’s eyes were a striking blue. “I hadn’t realised you had a daughter.”

The Ranger-General smiled, a faint and crooked thing as she stroked a fond hand over her daughter’s hair. “I keep her out of the public eye as well as I can.” She gave the girl a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. “Say hello, dear.”

Dressed in a pinafore dress and white leggings, the girl was a stark contrast to Alina’s jeans and sweater. She peered at them shyly and made an adorable impression of a curtsey. “Hello,” came the quiet voice, sheltering slightly behind her mother’s leg.

“She’s beautiful,” Jaina cooed. “Takes after you quite a bit.”

“Only in looks, thank goodness,” she drawled. “The sweetness is certainly all her mother.”

“Hi,” Alina replied, thrusting out her hand to shake. “I’m Alina.”

“Nilarith,” the girl whispered in reply, and tentatively reached out to shake the outstretched hand.

Jaina smiled at her warmly. “That’s a very pretty name.”

Nilarith flushed at the praise, hiding her face into the Ranger-General’s pant leg. “Thank you.”

Alina stepped forward again, tilting her head up to stare with unabashed awe. “You're — you're Ranger-General.”

The Ranger-General's ear twitched with amusement, as did her mouth. “I am, little one,” she replied, inclining her head in greeting before crouching low. “You’ve heard of me, then?”

“You do cool stuff at the embassy,” Alina breathed, thrusting out her hand to shake the Ranger-General's vigorously. “Pleasure to — to me-make your accountants.”

With a melodic laugh, the Ranger-General straightened to her feet, giving Alina’s hair a fond ruffle. “The pleasure is all mine,” she replied, regarding the girl seriously. “I’ve heard of you as well. Many an ambassador has come to me, seeking protection from the Lord Admiral’s little shadow.” She smiled when Alina gasped. “I must say, I am duly impressed at your dedication to your post.”

“Her head’s already big enough,” Jaina joked. “She doesn’t need more reason to glare at Genn or Whisperwind.”

The Ranger-General gave her a conspiratory wink. “I could always use an extra pair of eyes for glaring.”

Alina giggled with delight. “I like her, Mama!” she cried.

Jaina flushed apologetically. “Let’s get to class, yeah? Don’t wanna be late on the first day.”

“I hadn’t realised you were planning on enrolling her here,” the Ranger-General remarked, gesturing for them to cross as the crosswalk turned green.

“I didn’t think we’d make it through the waiting list so quickly,” Jaina admitted, peering down at where Alina was gently prodding Nilarith about the characters on her backpack.

The Ranger-General hummed thoughtfully as they approached the main gates of the school, ushering them all up to the stairs and down the main hall. “I would’ve given you a recommendation if I had known. Spoken to Principal Bloodhoof to expedite the process.”

“It’s fine,” she insisted. “I wouldn’t have accepted anyway.” It was one thing to be an ambassador at the embassy to begin with; Jaina hated the idea of throwing her weight around any more than she had to. It was the one thing she tried her damnedest not to do at all.

“Hmm.” The Ranger-General gave her a thoughtful look, one that came from keen eyes and an aristocratic face. They arrived at the classroom without fanfare; the two girls already becoming fast friends as they shed their coats and bags to hang in their cubbies.

It was only then that Alina hesitated.

“Go on, Alina,” Jaina urged. “I’ll pick you up after.”

Alina clutched at her mother's pants, expression grim as she took in the classroom children and the kindly orc, whose name was written in looping cursive on the board. She looked up into Jaina's face imploringly. “Will you come back soon?”

Jaina smiled down at her warmly, stroking a hand through her hair and tweaking an ear gently. “As soon as you finish. You can play with Nilarith in the meantime, hmm? Show her your toys and be friends?”

“We can be friends at the embassy,” Alina huffed.

Jaina crouched low then, meeting her eye-to-eye. “Just a few hours, and Mama will come back for you. And we'll get ice-cream, how about that?” 

Alina pouted still, but the promise of a sugary confection after school was a temptation too hard to resist. “...A big scoop?”

“The biggest,” Jaina promised her, smiling as she pressed a kiss to Alina's cheek and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Can Ranger-General come, too?” Alina asked excitedly, glancing between the two women with a pleading look. 

Jaina flushed slightly, tucking her own hair behind an ear as she darted a look at the other woman. “Well, hon —”

“Chocolate ice-cream, minn’da?” Nilarith whispered from where her mother was gently unravelling her coat from her shoulders. “Can we go for ice-cream too, please?”

The Ranger-General’s face softened, and it smoothed away the severe lines of her face. “Perhaps we shall.” She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Nilarith’s forehead. “Provided you behave for your new teacher.”

“I always behave,” Nilarith said, rolling her eyes slightly.

Jaina had to admit; the resemblance was almost uncanny.

At length, the Ranger-General said, “If the Lord Admiral and Alina wouldn’t mind the company…”

“You’re more than welcome,” Jaina blurted, and the statement seemed to startle them both. “I mean —” she gave them a weak smile. “The more the merrier.”

“Yay!” Alina cried, throwing her arms around her mother’s neck and squeezing her tight. “Thank you, Mama!” She jumped back and took hold of Nilarith’s hand. 

Just like that, they were gone. Alone together, a stilted sort of silence fell between the two adults, and Jaina was keenly aware of the Ranger-General’s eyes on her as she watched Nilarith and Alina disappear into the crowd of kids.

“So,” the Ranger-General began. “Lord Admiral.”

“Call me Jaina, please,” she said, and didn’t miss the way the subtle way the Ranger-General’s eyes dropped to her hands. “We’re not at the embassy. And even then — Jaina will do.”

“Jaina,” the Ranger-General echoed, and the low hum stirred something in Jaina’s chest that she hadn’t realised was there. “Then please — call me Sylvanas.”

Not quite trusting herself to speak again, Jaina merely nodded. She found that she didn’t need to speak again, because Sylvanas did it for her.

“Coffee?”

She started slightly, blinking owlish eyes at the woman.

“I figured, since we’re both going to the embassy after this anyway,” Sylvanas explained, suddenly looking rather sheepish. “You can refuse, of course —”

“It’s fine,” Jaina said quickly, tucking her arms around herself a bit self-consciously. “No, I’d — I’d love to.” She gave Sylvanas a little smile. “Coffee sounds great.”

A slow, faint little smile was forming on Sylvanas’ face as well. “Good. Shall we?”

\-------

The cafe was around the bend from the embassy; a quaint little hole-in-the-wall place that served some of Jaina’s favourite brews. Sylvanas herself had tea. Pandaren jade green tea that smelled faintly of sweet flowers and rich earth. 

“Not a coffee fan?” Jaina asked.

Sylvanas tapped her fingers against the rim of her mug, shrugging slightly. “Doesn’t sit well with my nerves.”

Ah. “Right,” Jaina said, embarrassed. Not many veterans kept to coffee after the wars. “Sorry.”

An elegant brow arched as Sylvanas gave her an amused little smirk. “Nothing to apologise for. It was a question.”

“So, how old is Nilarith?”

“About the same age as Alina, I’d imagine.” She sipped her tea, and Jaina pointedly ignored the dart of a pink tongue from between her lips. “Born in the height of summer.”

Jaina leaned her elbows on the table and stirred her coffee idly, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. “She’s such a well-behaved little girl. Very polite and soft-spoken.”

Sylvanas smiled fondly, her gaze a little far away. “You’ll have to thank her mother for that. Arwen was much the same.”

Jaina winced internally. She’d heard of the Ranger-General’s wife; knew of the way with which Arwen Highreaver had died. “I’m sure she’d be proud,” she murmured.

“And you?” Sylvanas asked then, peering at her with a gaze that seemed to penetrate deep into her soul. “No doubt, people must wonder about Alina’s heritage.”

Did they ever. “Alina’s adopted,” she replied, taking a swallow of her coffee and savouring the bitterness on her tongue. “I’m just glad everyone’s stopped whispering about her being the rightful heir of Quel’Thalas.” 

Sylvanas peered at her curiously. “Is Kael’thas _really_ her father?”

Jaina barked out a laugh, pressing a hand to her mouth as she swallowed back the sound into her throat. Still, her shoulders trembled at the force of her laughter, the corners of her eyes crinkling in amusement over her hand. 

The Ranger-General was still staring at her, looking mildly perturbed and uncertain, and it sobered her enough to suck in a breath and shake her head. “ _Tides, no_. I was the Kul Tiran ambassador in Silvermoon for a time, and then Dalaran’s. I signed the papers in Silvermoon before I left, and by the time they were processed, the timing seemed _too convenient_ for some.”

“My apologies,” Sylvanas said grimly. “I would’ve dived into the Sunwell if anyone thought Nilarith was Kael’s as well.”

“Maybe they should be,” Jaina drawled. “It’s about time Quel’Thalas saw a Queen on the throne.”

“Quite right,” the Ranger-General replied seriously. “It’s high time we staged the coup we’ve all been hoping for. With our daughters at the helm.”

Jaina laughed at the absurdity of the thought, wrinkling her nose slightly when Sylvanas grinned. “Nilarith, perhaps. I think Alina’s better suited for a soldier than a Queen.”

“Quite the spitfire, that one,” Sylvanas remarked, smiling at her over the rim of the mug. “I can already tell she very much takes after you.”

Jaina smiled. “My pride and joy.”

They shared a little smile and fell into a companionable silence, savouring the surrounding chatter and low croon of some indie band playing on the overhead speakers. It was...strangely comfortable. Jaina found that she liked it. They talked here and there about work, mostly getting to know more about their respective roles. Talked a bit about mutual likes and dislikes of the entire bureaucracy of it all.

Bitched about Greymane and the fact that he insisted on bringing his ageing bulldog into meetings that always smelled like wet dog and drool.

Before long, their phones began to chirp and chime, and Jaina sighed as she read the series of texts coming in. From across the table, she saw a matching scowl on Sylvanas’ face. “Time to go?” she asked.

“Apparently,” Sylvanas sighed, rising to her feet and moving quickly to pull out Jaina’s seat. “Another meeting with the ambassadors from Darnassus and Zul’Aman.”

Jaina winced in sympathy. Reaching out without thought, she laid her hand on Sylvanas’ arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. It was only when Sylvanas’ eyes dropped down to her hand that she realised what she was doing.

“Oh —”

“Jaina —”

She snatched her hand back swiftly, looking away as the heat rose up into her neck and cheeks. “Sorry. Sorry, I didn’t mean —”

Peering at her for a moment, Sylvanas once again smiled that smile that twisted her lips into a crooked smirk. Altogether too smug for her own good, but somehow too damn attractive to be too dickish. “It’s quite alright. I don’t bite. Contrary to popular belief,” she said.

Jaina felt the heat soar into her cheeks.

The Ranger-General chuckled. “I rather quite like this side of you, Lady Proudmoore.” She pushed open the cafe door and held it as Jaina walked through, watching her with a curious sort of fascination. “We should do this again.”

“We’re going for ice-cream,” Jaina reminded her.

Sylvanas inclined her head. “Certainly. The girls will be delighted with the treat.” Then she gave Jaina a look. “That wasn’t quite what I meant, though.”

Jaina swallowed. “Oh.”

“Just coffee again,” Sylvanas said gently. “If you’d like.”

“Coffee.”

“Yes.”

Jaina bit her lip, sucking in a breath and exhaling slowly as she worked up the courage to look Sylvanas in the eye again. “I’d like that,” she said at last, and found herself rapidly coming to the realisation that she really meant it. “I’d — I’d like that.”

Sylvanas’ shoulders softened slightly, and she breathed out with a quiet sort of relief the same. “Good,” she said, though it sounded more like a question. “Good,” she said again, with more certainty.

“Good.”

“So,” Sylvanas said, reaching out to lay a hand gently on Jaina’s elbow. “Would you mind an escort to the embassy?”

The touch tingled on her skin. “Not at all, Ranger-General.”

“Sylvanas.”

Jaina smiled slowly. “Sylvanas.”


End file.
